About the Film

"Not Broken" is a candid, unflinching, yet hopeful one-hour documentary about the lives of seven young people who have mental illnesses, told in their own brave words. To highlight that mental illness affects all of us, these stories represent a spectrum of different experiences. Some of the participants are youth of color, some identify as LGBTQ, some have survived sexual abuse, poverty, bullying — and all are fighting to live their dreams despite their mental health challenges.

Read more about the filmmakers below.

A Closer Look at the Film

The Filmmakers

Tom Kleespie, Writer/Producer/Director

Tom Kleespie has worked for Arizona Public Media for more than 40 years. In that time, he has produced over 200 nationally distributed documentaries on PBS including the "Desert Speaks"series, "Unforgettable: The Korean War," and "Passing On." He has won over 20 Rocky Mountain Emmy Awards.

Gisela Telis, Writer/Producer/Director

Gisela Telis reports on mental health for Arizona Public Media. She was a 2011-2012 Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellow and a 2016 National Health Journalism Fellow. She has won six Rocky Mountain Emmy Awards and an honorable mention in the 2015 Carolyn C. Mattingly Award for Mental Health Reporting, and holds a steadfast commitment to incisive, sensitive storytelling that does justice to those who entrust her with their stories.